Pipe cleaner



July 20 1926. 1,593,072

c. w. G. HAYDOCK ET! AL PIPE CLEANER Filed May 23, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1July 20 1926.

C. W. G. HAYDOCK ET AL PIPE CLEANER Filed May 23, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2W m Q M 5 \N M \NNRN R ,4 NN M 1,593,072 0. w. G. HAYDOCK El AL PIPECLEANER Filed May 23, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 20 1926.

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Filed May 23. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gmenlo'co kaz'leaflffihydutk 1161mmVBzzreaa UM flttonuq PatentedJnIy 20, 1 26.". V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

w. G. EAYDOGK, Q1 PKILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND NOBIAN V.

BUREAU, OF AUDUBON, NEW JERSEY.

PIPE CLEANER.

- Application med lay 23, 1924. Serial No. 715,496.

Our invention relates to pipe cleaners ada tedfor cleaning water pipelines.

clean a' pipe line, the line is brolgen to insert the cleaner. Thecleaner, which I consists of two units, a scraper and a piston,

is forced through the pi e line by water pressure. It frequently appensthat the moving cleaner is stopped by engagement of its piston with anobstruction in the line,

such as an uneven joint, reduced d1ameter of the line, a bend or a valveof smaller diameter than the line. Before the cleaner can be againstarted the obstruction must be removed. This is done by digging a holen II the ground, breaking the pipe and replacing the cleaner in thepipeline. This is not only laborious and ex ensive, but the pipe line 1snecessarily out '0 commission for some time,

thereby occasioning much inconvenience and,

10 in the case the line is part of a fire preventive system, danger ofconflagration.

While the pistons heretofore used yleld to some extent to permit them topass minor 0bstructioris, none of them, so far as we are aware, arecapable of yielding to such extent as to permit them to pass a majorobstruction, such as a valve of 12 inch diameter in a 16 inch line. I

The objects of our invention are to provide pistons for pipe cleanerswhich, when they contact with an obstruction whether minor or major,will collapse and pass the obstruction then expand to engage the wall ofthe pipe to provide an arrangement of pistons which will be effectivewhile passing branch lines and which will pass any ord1- nary bends inthe line, and to provide improved reinforcing means for stifiening thecollapsible member and limiting its wear.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be describedhereinafter, we attain in the following manner, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which-. Figure 1 is a side elevation ofacleaner having our piston applied thereto,

Figure 2 an enlarged central section I through our improved piston shownin Figure 1, Fi e 3 an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, f

Figure 4 an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Figure 2 and Figures'5 and 6are perspective views of.

' within the pipe.

of the scraper and forms the flexible con- .curedthereto b elementswhich 'forma part of our invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a scraper and 2 a pair of pistonsconnected to eachother and flexibly connected to the scraper at 3. Thescraper may be of any suitable type but we prefer to use that disclosedin our Patent No. 1,531,439, of March 31,1925, and which, consists of abody 4 having secured thereto spring plow arms 5 which carry plows 6 ontheir ends.

Each of the pistons 2 is provided with a head 7 secured, adjacent itsends 9 and 10, to a pipe 8. The rearward head is secured to the pipe, atend 10, by a collar 11 threaded to the pipe at one side of the head anda cap 12 threaded to the pipe at the other side of the head. Cap 12 alsosecures a collar 13 This collar is provided with an opening 14 to permitpassage of water through the pipe to carry forward the solid matterremoved from the pipe or other matter which may be in the pipe line. Astrainer 15 is screwed to cap 12 to prevent foreign matter from cloggingup opening 14. The forward head 7 is secured to the pipe, 30 at end 9,by a bonnet 16 screwed onto the pipe at one side of the'head and acollar 17 screwed onto the pipe at the other side. The bonnet isprovided with openings 18 through which water, coming through opening14, passes for washing away foreign matter loosened from the interior ofthe pipe by scraper 1. An eye 19 integral with the bonnet is connectedwith an eye 20 on body 4 nection 3. The piston parts attached to heads 7are alike and but one set will be described.

A funnel shaped collapsible member 21, of rubber or other suitablematerial, is secured between head 7 and cap 12 at end 10, and head 7 andcollar 17 at end 9. This collapsible member" is reinforced by a seriesof strips 22 secured to its outer side by bolts 23 and pivoted to thehead. As shown, the end 25 of each strip is looped over a pivot pin 27cast or mounted in lugs 24 extending from the head. The looped part ofthe strip extends over a bearing block 26 and is sea bolt 28 which alsopasses through the co lapsibl'e member and secures it to the stripadjacent the pivot. Suitable wearing plates 29 are preferably providedThe collapsible member'is preferably covered with a layer of canvas 34to protect it from wear by the metallic parts secured to it.

The distance between the pistons should not be more than sufficient topermit passage of abranch line or a major obstruction with one pistonalways in commission. So arranged the funnel shaped members willcollapse sufiiciently to permit the cleaner to pass any ordinarybend inthe pipe line. \Ve' find-that in actual use the above described cleaner,when used in a pipe line of 16' inch diameter, will readily pass throughvalves of 12inch diameter and we believe it will pass through any valvesordinarily used in pipe lines. I 1

In use, when the piston is forcing the scraper through a pipe and anobstruction is reached, the pistonwillbe collapsed thereby and readilypass over itand, when the ob.- struction is passed, plates 22 will swingoutwardly on their pivots 24 as the piston passes the obstruction.

A single piston in passing an obstruction might collapse to such extentthat the-leakage would reduce the pressure below that required formoving the cleaner, or the pressure might be likewise reduced in passinga branch connection. With two pistons the danger of such leakage iseliminated and in case one piston is disabled the other will generallybe in commission, and the work may go on.

We are aware of Patent No. 1,193,005, to Frank. issued August 1, 1916,which discloses pistons designed for use in pipe cleaning which includea flexible member secured to a rigid disk of considerable size comparedwith the pipe to be cleaned but the piston disclosed is incapable ofcollapsing to function as applicants pistons function.

While we have described our invention as taking a particular form, itwill be understood that the various parts may be changed withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof, and hence we do not limit ourselvesto the precise construction set forth, but consider that we are atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is w 1 1. Ina pipe cleaner, a piston consistingof a piston head of small diameter relatively to the diameter of thepipe to be cleaned, and

a collapsible funnel-shaped driving member having its small end securedto the piston head and its outer edge adapted to engage the interiorwall of the pipe to be cleaned.

2. In a pipe cleaner, a pair of pistons, each a piston head of smalldiameter relatively to thediameter of the pipe to be cleaned a flexible,funnel-shaped driving member having its small end secured to the pistonhead and its outer'edge adapted to engage the interior .Wall of the pipeto be cleaned, and overlapping metal strips secured to the outer side ofthe driving member.

4. In a pipecleaner, a piston consisting of a piston head of 'smalldiameter relatively to the diameter of the pipe to be cleaned, aflexible, funnel-shaped driving member having its small end secured tothe piston head and its outer edge adapted to engage the interior wallof the pipe to' be cleaned, and reinforcing strips pivoted to the headand fixed to the driving member.

5. In a pipe cleaner, acpiston having a head; a collapsible drivingmember secured 'to the head; reinforcing means pivoted to the head andsecured to the driving member,

and wearing plates secured to'the driving member between the reinforcingmeans.

6. In a plpe cleaner, a piston consisting of a head; a drivingmember;'reinforcing strips pivoted to the head and secured to thedriving member, and overlapping wearing plates secured to the drivingmember between the strips. J c

7. "In a pipe cleaner, a piston head; a collapsible conical drivingmember secured thereto, and reinforcing strips secured to the drivingmember, each strip being provided with a loop at one end, a bearingblock within the loop, and a pivot pin extending from the head andtaking through the loop.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

CHARLES. W. G. HAYDOCK. NORMAN v. BUREAU.

